We consider shear-free radiating spherical stars in general relativity. In particular we study the junction condition relating the pressure to the heat flux at the boundary of the star. This is a nonlinear equation in the metric functions. We analyse the junction condition when the spacetime is conformally flat, and when the particles are travelling in geodesic motion. We transform the governing equation using the method of Lie analysis. The Lie symmetry generators that leave the equation invariant are identifed and we generate the optimal system in each case. Each element of the optimal system is used to reduce the partial differential equation to an ordinary differential equation which is further analysed. As a result, particular solutions to the junction condition are presented. These exact solutions can be presented in terms of elementary functions. Many of the solutions found are new and could be useful in the modelling process. Our analysis is the first comprehensive treatment of the boundary condition using a symmetry approach. We have shown that this approach is useful in generating new results. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

The Lie theory of extended groups is a practical tool in the analysis of differential equations, particularly in the construction of solutions. A formalism of the Lie theory is given and contrasted with Noether's theorem which plays a prominent role in the analysis of differential equations derivable from a Lagrangian. The relationship between the Lie and Noether approach to differential equations is investigated. The standard separation of Lie point symmetries into Noetherian and nonNoetherian symmetries is shown to be irrelevant within the context of nonlocality. This also emphasises the role played by nonlocal symmetries in such an approach. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.

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According to the needs, real systems can be modeled at various level of resolution. It can be detailed interactions at the individual level (or at microscopic level) or a sample of the system (or at mesoscopic level) and also by averaging over mesoscopic (structural) states; that is, at the level of interactions between subsystems of the original system (or at macroscopic level). With the microscopic study one can get a detailed information of the interaction but at a cost of heavy computational work. Also sometimes such a detailed information is redundant. On the other hand, macroscopic analysis, computationally less involved and easy to verify by experiments. But the results obtained may be too crude for some applications. Thus, the mesoscopic level of analysis has been quite popular in recent years for studying real systems. Here we will focus on structured population models where we can observe various level of organization such as individual, a group of population, or a community. Due to fast movement of the individual compare of the other demographic processes (like death and birth), the problem is multiple-scale. There are various methods to handle multiple-scale problem. In this work we will follow asymptotic analysis ( or more precisely compressed Chapman–Enskog method) to approximate the microscopic model by the averaged one at a given level of accuracy. We also generalize our model by introducing reducible migration structure. Along with this, considering age dependency of the migration rates and the mortality rates, the thesis o ers improvement of the existing literature. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

This thesis examines the role of shear in inhomogeneous spherically symmetric spacetimes in the field of general relativity. The Einstein field equations are derived for a perfect fluid source in comoving coordinates. By assuming a barotropic equation of state, two classes of nonaccelerating solutions are obtained for the Einstein field equations. The first class has equation of state p = ⅓µ and the second class, with equation of state p = µ, generalises the models of Van den Bergh and Wils (1985). For a particular choice of a metric potential a new class of solutions is found which is expressible in terms of elliptic functions of the first and third kind in general. A class of nonexpanding cosmological models is briefly studied. The method of Lie symmetries of differential equations generates a self-similar variable which reduces the field and conservation equations to a system of ordinary differential equations. The behaviour of the gravitational field in this case is governed by a Riccati equation which is solved in general. Another class of solutions is obtained by making an ad hoc choice for one of the gravitational potentials. It is demonstrated that for a stiff fluid a particular case of the generalised Emden-Fowler equation arises. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1996.

In this work, we present an amplitude-shape method for solving evolution problems described by partial differential equations. The method is capable of recognizing the special structure of many evolution problems. In particular, the stiff system of ordinary differential equations resulting from the semi-discretization of partial differential equations is considered. The method involves transforming the system so that only a few equations are stiff and the majority of the equations remain non-stiff. The system is treated with a mixed explicit-implicit scheme with a built-in error control mechanism. This approach proved to be very effective for the solution of stiff systems of equations describing spatially dependent chemical kinetics. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, 1997.

In this thesis, we seek exact solutions for the interior of a radiating relativistic star undergoing gravitational collapse. The spherically symmetric interior spacetime, when matched with the exterior radiating Vaidya spacetime, at the boundary of the star, yields the governing equation describing the gravitational behaviour of the collapsing star. The investigation of the model hinges on the solution of the governing equation at the boundary. We first examine shear-free models which are conformally flat. The boundary condition is transformed to an Abel equation and several new solutions are generated. We then study collapse with shear in geodesic motion. Two classes of solutions are generated which are regular at the stellar centre. Our treatment extends the results of Naidu et al (2006) which had the undesirable feature of a singularity at the centre of the star. In an attempt to find more general models, we transform the fundamental equation to a Riccati equation. Two general classes of solution are found and are used to study the thermal evolution in the causal theory of thermodynamics. These solutions are shown to reduce to the Friedmann dust solution in the absence of heat flow. Furthermore, we obtain new categories of solutions for the case of gravitational collapse with expansion, shear and acceleration of the stellar fluid. This is achieved by transforming the boundary condition into a Riccati equation. In special cases the Bernoulli equation is regained. The solutions are given in terms of elementary functions and they permit the investigation of the physical features of radiative stellar collapse. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.

The study of exact solutions to the Einstein and Einstein-Maxwell field equations, by imposing a symmetry requirement on the manifold, has been the subject of much recent research. In this thesis we consider specifically conformal symmetries in static and nonstatic spherically symmetric spacetimes. We find conformally invariant solutions, for spherically symmetric vectors, to the Einstein-Maxwell field equations for static spacetimes. These solutions generalise results found previously and have the advantage of being regular in the interior of the sphere. The general solution to the conformal Killing vector equation for static spherically symmetric spacetimes is found. This solution is subject to integrability conditions that place restrictions on the metric functions. From the general solution we regain the special cases of Killing vectors, homothetic vectors and spherically symmetric vectors with a static conformal factor. Inheriting conformal vectors in static spacetimes are also identified. We find a new class of accelerating, expanding and shearing cosmological solutions in nonstatic spherically symmetric spacetimes. These solutions satisfy an equation of state which is a generalisation of the stiff equation of state. We also show that this solution admits a conformal Killing vector which is explicitly obtained. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1993.